1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of vehicles"" engines, and more specifically, the present invention is directed to servicing engines.
2. Background
Engine manufacturers highly recommend that engine cooling systems be serviced every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. Lack of proper service can cause engine problems due to the fact that old coolant in the vehicle""s radiator system may no longer protect against rust or acids that can lead to a breakdown of the metal and aluminum parts in the engine. Periodic service intervals are recommended to protect the engine against overheating that can be caused by a break-down of the coolant""s protective properties.
To this end, automobile service stations utilize various systems and methods to replace old coolant in the radiator system with new coolant in accordance with the manufacturers"" recommendation. Conventional systems, however, suffer from many problems. To mention a few, conventional systems cause coolant drainage and are environmentally hazardous. To prevent coolant drainage, service operators must place a pan under the vehicle to avoid coolant spill. Moreover, the radiator pressure cannot be released prior to removing the radiator cap which can place service operators in danger.
Furthermore, conventional systems require constant operator attention. For example, at the end of the coolant exchange, the operation must end immediately, otherwise the vehicle""s coolant continues to be drained, and as a result, the vehicle""s engine can overheat and be damaged. Even more, at the completion of the coolant exchange, the conventional systems require the operator to add more coolant manually in order to adjust the level of coolant in the radiator system. To that end the operator must either prepare a mixture of coolant and water, or prior to starting the coolant exchange process, save some to a separate container. At the end of the coolant exchange, the additional coolant must either be deposited in the service system tank or be added to the radiator system by the operator. Indeed, such methods are extremely labor intensive, unsafe and train consuming.
As another example of the shortcomings, in the existing systems, fluid flow control is achieved via a pressure switch that turns off the fluid flow completely when the system pressure reaches a predetermined level by stopping the system and/or engine and then restarting the system and/or engine when the system pressure falls below a second level. The on-to-off transitions are greatly harmful to the service system and the vehicle""s engine.
Accordingly, an intense need exists for apparatus and method for servicing engine cooling systems that can safely and efficiently solve the existing problems in the art.
Further disadvantages of the related rat will become apparent to one skilled in the an through comparison of the drawings and specification which follow.
In accordance with the purpose of the present invention as broadly described herein, there is provided method and apparatus for servicing engine cooling systems.
In particular, in one embodiment, method and apparatus of the present invention includes connecting a service inlet of the apparatus to a system fluid outlet, connecting a service outlet of the apparatus to a system fluid inlet, and pumping out the old fluid from the system through the system outlet and the service inlet, pumping in, simultaneously with the pumping in step, the new fluid from a new fluid tank to the system through the system outlet and the service inlet. In one aspect of the present invention, pumping steps are terminated when new fluid level in the new fluid tank reaches a predetermined low-level.
In another aspect, when new fluid level in the new fluid tank reaches a predetermined low-level, a fluid path between the service inlet and the service outlet is established such that system fluid cycles through the apparatus, but is not drained.
In one aspect of the present invention, the system fluid may be topped off with the new fluid remained, below the low-level mark, in the new fluid tank.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the service apparatus includes a pressure relief valve coupled to the pressure pump at one end and coupled to an inlet of the new fluid tank at another end and the relief valve opens, partially or completely, in response to system pressure.
In another separate aspect, the service apparatus vacuums or pumps out the old fluid without replacing it with the new fluid.
Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent with further reference to the drawings and specification, which follow.